


Come Back To Me

by lost_lunar_wolf



Series: Sp00ky Season [5]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Anxiety, Depressed Tony Stark, Depression, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Hurt Tony Stark, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, It Gets Worse Before It Gets Better, James "Rhodey" Rhodes is a Good Bro, Literally so much angst, Mentions of kidnapping, Missing Persons, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Whump, Platonic Cuddling, Presumed Dead, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Feels, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is a mess, but like no details
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-06
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 18:33:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26862190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lost_lunar_wolf/pseuds/lost_lunar_wolf
Summary: For Peter he told himself tapping his watch to engage the suit.  It was always for Peter.  With that thought he walked out of the police station and took off to rejoin the search for Peter.They would find him, he thought.  But what if they didn’t?ORAfter Tony receives a phone call from Peter in the middle of the night, Peter goes missing leaving no trace behind.  3 days later there's still no trace.  One week later Tony's worst nightmare comes true.  A few weeks after that, new information is uncovered that gives him hope again.
Relationships: James "Rhodey" Rhodes & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, Tony Stark & Avengers Team
Series: Sp00ky Season [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950130
Comments: 4
Kudos: 134





	Come Back To Me

**Author's Note:**

> Woohoo welcome to a fic where Tony can't do emotions and jokes about series issues!! Ok it's actually not that bad but like yee. 
> 
> Today's prompt was this little piece of dialogue: “I know you missed me. Just admit it. I saw you visit my grave everyday.”
> 
> I wrote this on two very different days, the first part and the ending I wrote about a month ago when I was happy and the rest was last night during a mental breakdown. I think it's very clear. Anyways I sobbed when writing this so I'm sorry but don't worry it has a happy ending!!!!!!!! Sorry I was giving fluff before, but today will not be that, I kinda had to write my feelings today so my apologies. But on the bright side these fics will come few and far between.
> 
> Trigger Warnings for this fic: Major Character Death (TEMPORARY) (Honestly with the little amount of detail I go into it's presumed dead), Depression, Anxiety, Mentions of Kidnapping, and implied/referenced alcohol use

Tony’s life had gotten much more exciting, one could say, ever since Peter came into it. He would call it almost constant heart attacks and endless gray hairs, but he loved his-the kid and wouldn’t trade what they had for the world. So the fact Peter was calling wasn’t much of a surprise, except for the fact that it was at 2 in the morning and he couldn’t get a ping on the kids location for the life of him.

He was apologizing endlessly in an extremely panicked voice as Tony worked to get a location. Hearing the kid panic wasn’t entirely uncommon, but Tony had never heard him so worked up or so scared before.

“Whoa kid calm down, what’s going on? Where are you?” Tony asked frantically.

“I can’t explain, I’m sorry, I love you. I promise it will be okay.”

“Kid wait!-” Tony tried, but he heard the dial tone. “Shit shit  _ shitshitshit _ . Fuck” He pressed the call button again but the phone went straight to voicemail. “Answer the damn phone kid.” 

He was typing frantically, yelling commands at FRIDAY doing anything to find a location. Just as he started narrowing down the area, whatever signal he was picking up vanished. “No, no, no what the fuck. FRIDAY!”

“It appears sir, Mr. Parker's phone has been disconnected.” 

“What the fuck do you mean it’s been disconnected! Get me a suit and call May.”

Tony was suited up in less than 10 seconds and it was only a few seconds later May picked up the phone.

“Tony why the actual fuck are you calling me at 2 in the morning?” May asked, clearly have just woken up.

“Where’s Peter?” Was out of his mouth before May could finish.

“What do you mean ‘where’s Peter’, last I checked he was in bed.”

“Go check please.”

“Fine, fine, I’m going.” He heard the sound of sheets rustling and foot steps. “Can I ask again what this is about?”

“He just called me panicking then hung up. I can’t get a location on him.”

“Okay well he’s-” May trailed off as Tony heard a door open and a small thud.

“May, is he in his room?” Tony asked, and heard the slight catch of a breath. “May.”

“He’s not here.” She whispered.

“Fuck, is his suit there?”

The sound of a closet door opening filled Tony’s ears. “Yeah it’s here.”

“Shit okay, I’m going to look for him. Call Happy. I’m gonna find him.” Tony said trying his best to sound like he wasn’t freaking out.

“Okay.”

He hung up a few seconds later flying as fast as he could to the area of Peter’s last known location. FRIDAY was already searching news outlets for anything related to Spiderman and/or Peter, and was searching traffic cameras as well. Where the fuck was his kid. 

Within minutes he was flying low through some run down area of Queens, the area of Peter’s last location. 

_ Where are you kid? _

He made sure FRIDAY was scanning for heat signatures in all the allies in case Peter had gotten shot or stabbed or something, but all the searches came up empty. The area was completely empty of people, he wasn’t sure if that made his nerves worse, or let them ease up a little. It made it worse, he decided, because that meant that no one had seen Peter, and whatever Peter had been doing in this area must have been bad for no one to be here. 

“FRIDAY, you’re scanning the abandoned buildings for any sort of abnormalities, right?”

“Yes boss, so far nothing is out of the ordinary.”

Tony kept searching, expanding his search to a few miles outside of his original search area in the instance that Peter had left. He refused to stop, he wouldn’t stop, he had to find his kid. Where the fuck was his kid? 

The longer he searched the more paranoid and worried he got that something bad had happened to Peter. Nothing could happen to Peter, he wouldn’t let it, he had to be okay, this had to be some kind of joke. It had to be. Where was Peter, why couldn’t he find Peter. Peter… Peter… “PETER!”

“Boss it appears you are having a panic attack. Would you like me to call Ms. Potts?”

“Rhodey.” Tony breathed. “Call Rhodey.”

He hoped Rhodey would pick up. He needed Rhodey to pick up. He had to because he needed to make sure Rhodey was okay too, because if Rhodey _and_ Peter weren’t okay-

“Tony what’s wrong?” Rhodey asked, clearly confused on why Tony was calling him so late, (early?).

“Peter! I can’t find Peter. He’s gone!” Tony explained frantically.

“What do you mean he’s gone?” Rhodey asked.

Tony quickly explained what happened with Peter calling him, then going out to search the last area he was in and coming up empty. 

“Okay, keep looking Tones, do you want me to call the others?”

“Sure fine whatever, just get here fast and help me keep looking.” Tony said quickly.

“I’m going to tell them to search other parts of the city, okay?” Rhodey said.

“Fine, okay, please.” Tony was honestly not sure how he wasn’t crying yet. He couldn’t lose Peter. He just couldn’t.

Tony kept searching, flying through every part of Queens, pushing the suit to the max to try to find Peter. He wasn’t sure how long he kept flying, but next thing he knew it was getting light and FRIDAY had alerted him that Rhodey was flying through Brooklyn, the others each searching in different boroughs of the city , and Happy was driving around with May.

“Tony.” Steve's voice came through the coms. “What’s going on? Rhodey only gave us a picture and name of who we’re looking for.”

“My kid, the kid. He’s missing, we have to find him.” Tony begged.

“Your intern, Peter?”

“Yes my intern Rogers, now stop blabbing and look for my fucking kid.” Tony snapped, and winced at his tone, he was too worked up.

“Should we call the police?” Steve asked.

“Already did that.” Rhodey cut in. “I told them what Tony knew and as of right now they have people searching.” 

“That’s why I love you Rhodey, always thinking when I can’t.” Tony tried to joke, but it just came out as sounding broken. 

“Should we tell Rogers and them about you know what?” Rhodey questioned.

“Peter is also Spiderman.” Tony said, he knew everyone else was on the coms and could hear for themselves. “Don’t tell that to the police, and be checking roofs, he likes high up places.”

“He didn’t go missing as Spiderman though, he went missing as Peter Parker, but any Spiderman sightings follow up on.” Rhodey added.

Tony didn’t pay much attention to much of anything anyone was saying after that, too focused on finding Peter. He wasn’t sure how many times he had flown around Queens at this point, but pretty soon he knew news outlets would be questioning why all the avengers were running around different parts of town. 

It was around noon when FRIDAY threatened to shut down the suit and called Rhodey. 

“I’m not stopping.” Tony said the second the call connected.

“I didn’t say to stop. Just go by the police station, give your statement, eat a little bit then keep looking.” Rhodey told him, he was always the voice of reason.

“No I can’t stop looking.” He protested.

“I know you’re scared, we all are, but it won’t do him any good if you pass out from exhaustion and don’t give the police more information.”

A protest formed on his lips, but stopped when he realized FRIDAY had already routed him to the police station and he was only a few minutes away. “Just update me if you find anything.” He said instead trying to keep the brokenness out of his voice.

“I will.” Rhodey promised. “Do you need anything right now?”

“My kid.” Tony whispered.

“We’ll get him back Tones.”

***

Tony sat in the police station with his head resting in his hands. He tried to take deep breaths to keep himself from crying and stay as calm as he could, but nothing was working right now. The police had already taken his statement, and at this point he was working up the strength to get back into the suit to keep searching. But he had to, he knew he had to keep searching no matter what. With another attempt at a deep breath Tony stood up allowing himself one second of clarity with his eyes closed before letting the situation come back full force.

_ For Peter _ he told himself tapping his watch to engage the suit. It was always for Peter. With that thought he walked out of the police station and took off to rejoin the search for Peter. 

They would find him, he thought. But what if they didn’t? 

***

It had been 3 days since they started searching for Peter. After the first 24 hours Tony locked himself in the lab and had FRIDAY send out the Iron Legion to keep searching. Even though he wanted to be out searching, Tony knew he could probably make more progress in the lab. 

He mapped out Peter’s last known location and had FRIDAY map out the areas Peter could possibly be based on the time he was gone and the max speed he could be traveling. Right now he was at a few hundred mile square radius, assuming Peter was still on foot or maybe bus, and wasn’t kidnapped and flown to another country, but he didn’t like that thought so he tried to not think about it. But the thing was right now they had the police looking, the avengers looking, the iron legion looking, and based on Peter’s last phone call it didn’t seem plausible for him to have been kidnapped. And maybe Tony had read the situation wrong and that was what happened, but he had replayed Peter’s last call well over a hundred times and it sounded more like Peter was caught up in something. Sure maybe he was taken because of what he got caught up in, but his gut told him it was something else. Maybe his gut was wrong, but if his gut was telling him that Peter wasn’t kidnapped, then right now he would listen to that. There were other people (the police) who were looking more into that option. There was also the whole thing of not getting any sort of ransom demand or video or contact of any kind from a kidnapper. Maybe it was because that person didn’t know Peter’s connection to Tony or Spider-Man, but still. Right now in his mind Peter had ran, he wanted to disappear, so Tony looked for him in that sense.

Peter was smart and Tony knew that, which made finding the kid that much harder. If Peter was out there, at this point it meant outsmarting the kid somehow. How exactly, well he didn’t know. FRIDAY was scanning security cameras within his map for any sign of Peter or any indication a camera was being tampered with from an outside source. The latter could very well not be Peter, but it didn’t hurt to have the information anyway. 

But Tony wouldn’t stop looking, he wouldn’t. Peter had to be out there somewhere and he would find the kid. He had to find Peter. 

“Tony come on man you have to eat.” Someone said from behind Tony causing him to jump. 

He spun around in his chair to see Rhodey standing with a plate in hand and quickly turned back around.

“Can’t.” Tony said. “Gotta keep looking.”

“I know, but you have to eat something.” Rhodey set the plate down on the desk. “Just try. Please.”

“Thank you.” Tony whispered after a few moments, but the whoosh of the lab doors opening and closing told him Rhodey didn’t hear.

***

One week. One week. One week, it had been one week and now was the first time they got anything and this was the outcome Tony hated the most. He couldn’t do this. Not anymore, why this, out of everything, why this? He would rather any other outcome over this one. Where did he go wrong? Where did he mess up? Why this? It couldn’t be this. Other outcomes he could survive, he could deal with physical wounds, he could fix those, he could deal with mental wounds, he could help fix those too. But this one, this was the only one he couldn’t fix because there was nothing he could do to fix this. He couldn’t fix it if it was dead. So why did it have to be this. Anything but this.

But it was this and he couldn’t live with this. He couldn’t live if Peter wasn’t living.

***

He was floating. He was always floating now. 

Time didn’t exist. He didn’t want it to exist. 

He shut people out. He knew they hurt too. He knew that. He knew that. He knew that.  _ Stupid stupid stupid. _ But this was the only way he knew how to cope. Shut people out. Drink. Whatever. 

It didn’t matter. Nothing mattered anymore. Because his light was gone. He couldn’t do life like this. 

***

Weeks? Days? He didn’t know. It was raining today. It fit the mood he thought. At least it somewhat hid his tears. He didn’t care about his suit getting wet. It didn’t matter anyway. He didn’t care. 

He felt someone grab his hand and his gaze slowly shifted to them. 

“I’m sorry.” He whispered, first words he’s said since because what else was there to say. Especially to the person who raised him. To the person he made a promise with, to protect her kid, their kid now she said at one point. And he couldn’t fix this, he can’t bring him back. It’s his fault. It’s always his fault people get hurt. It always has been his fault. “It’s my fault and I can’t fix it this time.”

“It isn’t your fault.” They said. “You did all you could. We all did.”

But she didn’t understand. It was his fault. It was always his fault. Always.

***

He couldn’t say his name. It hurt too much. 

It hurt to get out of bed. It hurt to see people. It hurt to talk. So he didn’t.

The lab didn’t even seem right. That hurt too because that was their place and he couldn’t look at it.

***

Flowers, sandwich, pin, and mask. That’s what he brought because there wasn’t much he loved more. So he brought the favorites. 

He sat with his hand and head pressed against the stone. Maybe it would make him feel more connected.

One last hug. One last lab day. One last joke he didn’t understand. One last anything that’s all he wanted.

The I love you he wanted to say left unsaid. It would always be left unsaid now.

“I love you.” He said.

But it didn’t reach where he wanted it to reach. Where he needed it to reach. So it was left unheard when it needed to be heard.

There was no response when he needed one most.

***

Revenge. That’s what he needed. That’s what he got. 

But he could never get back what they took from him. And for that they would suffer.

He didn’t kill, that wasn't what he would’ve wanted, but they suffered and will continue to suffer. Never seeing the light of day again.

But even after. Even with his revenge. He couldn’t get back what he lost and for that he was numb.

And he wasn’t sure he would feel again.

***

He went again and the same words were left unheard. He needed them to be heard. But they never would be.

***

Weeks or month. He didn’t know. He didn’t care. He let himself fall. What reason was there to get back up?

“Tony I need to tell you something.” 

And they did. His cloud wasn’t lifted, but it lightened.

Maybe just maybe there was a reason. A small sliver of hope.

He looked up. He was still on the ground. But it was a start to picking himself up. There might be a reason now.

***

What did they miss the first time? That was the question he couldn’t figure out. It wasn’t right. How could they miss this? It wasn’t right, something was wrong. Something was off. How was it missed? If he had done it himself it wouldn’t have been missed damnit. So where did it go wrong? How did it go wrong? Why did it go wrong?

He worked and worked.

He was still numb. Still silent, still everything hurt too much. Maybe though, maybe he could find him and everything would hurt less. Because there was a chance. A chance he was alive.

Tony didn’t gamble anymore. But this. This Tony would take a gamble on. The odds in his favor. So he took the gamble. It was worth the risk because it wasn’t like it could get any worse.

***

Newark. Why there, Tony didn’t know. But he went. Because that’s where the signal picked up. He didn’t wait for a jet, he had to go now, so he went in the suit. The others said they would meet him there. He put the thrusters to the max and he still didn’t get there fast enough for his liking.

And when he landed, he stumbled out of the suit running into the building the signal was in. Cafe, he noticed, it was the first time he noticed much of anything in awhile. He saw him. It didn’t seem real. Too many emotions to comprehend. Too many thoughts running through his mind.

He could’ve cried. He was crying, he noticed. His legs are weak, too weak to hold him anymore. A pair of arms caught him before he could hit the floor and Tony knew immediately who it was and wrapped his own arms around them and let out a choked sob.

“I’m okay.” They whispered.  _ Peter. _

He let out another sob and only held on tighter. Peter was here. Peter was okay. Peter was alive.

His cloud lifted. He was still heavy, but it was clearer now. It would be okay. Because Peter was here, alive, breathing.

“I love you.” He said, because those words. They couldn’t go unsaid again. They couldn’t go unheard.

He wasn’t sure how long they stood there, but he couldn’t let go, he wouldn’t let go. Not again. He couldn’t risk losing Peter again. Not now, not ever.

***

Back at the tower May didn’t let go of Peter for hours. Tony didn’t leave the room, he couldn’t leave the room, too scared that if he took his eyes off of Peter he would disappear again. But he didn’t interfere, he kept his distance. Right now seeing Peter was enough to keep his mind at ease.

*** 

It had been 4 weeks. Tony started paying attention to time again.

May was at work and for now the rule was Peter had to be with one of them at all times (there were a few exceptions of course), so Tony was sitting on the couch with Peter wrapped in his arms, the kid resting his head on Tony’s chest. They were arguing. Well not even arguing, playful joking (mostly) banter, because Tony couldn’t admit how hurt he was in the 3 or 4 weeks Peter was gone. It was joking though, he already told Peter what a wreck he was. He wasn’t even sure how it got brought up this time. But joking or almost joking or whatever this was, it was how they coped. 

“I know you missed me.” Peter said like the little shit he is. “Just admit it. I saw you visit my grave everyday.”

“I didn’t miss you at all.” Tony denied, though it was pretty clear from his actions that he did miss the kid.

“I’m sorry you know.” Peter said ducking his head.

“Next time you feel like faking your death a little heads up would be nice.” Tony said, before shaking his head. “Actually no, you’re not allowed to fake your death ever. You’re not allowed to die. I forbid it.”

“In my defense I did tell Natasha.” Peter said almost hesitantly.

Tony’s face softened for a moment before it turned to almost betrayal, but the relief was still there. “You told Natasha and not me? What the hell kid!”

“Did you really think I pulled that off by myself? I mean I’m honored that you think I could do that.”

“Don’t change the subject.” 

“Sorry, yes I told Nat. I called her right after I called you and she helped me out.”

“And she couldn’t tell me why?” Tony questioned and tightened his grip around Peter, scared that if he let go Peter would disappear again.

“I told her not to. If they had any indication I was still alive they would’ve probably killed me for real or they would’ve laid low for a bit.” Peter answered. “I really am sorry though, I didn’t mean to put you through that.”

“I missed you a lot kiddo.” Tony finally admitted pressing a kiss on top of Peter’s head.

“Ha you admit it!”

“You’re a little shit. You know that?” Tony asked in a joking voice and the smile on his face he knew told Peter what he was really saying.

It wasn’t left unsaid this time. It wasn’t left unheard.

“I love you too, Mr. Stark.”

And he got the response when it was most important.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for that angst. I'm gonna be honest it hurt me too. Come say hi to me on [Tumblr](https://www.tumblr.com/blog/lost-lunar-wolf)!


End file.
